defeated these offensive ##s in the ko ##ko ##da track campaign and battle of milne bay with the support of the raaf and usa ##af . australian and us army units subsequently assaulted and captured the japanese bases on the north coast of papua in the hard @ - @ fought battle of bun ##a @ - @ go ##na . the australian army also defeated a japanese attempt to capture the town of wa ##u in january 1943 and went onto the offensive in the sal ##ama ##ua @ - @ la ##e campaign in april . in late 1943 , the 7th and 9th divisions played an important role in operation cart ##wheel , when they landed to the east and west of la ##e and
defeated these offensives in the kokoda track campaign and battle of milne bay with the support of the raaf and usaaf. australian and us army units subsequently assaulted and captured the japanese bases on the north coast of papua in the hard @ - @ fought battle of buna @ - @ gona. the australian army also defeated a japanese attempt to capture the town of wau in january 1943 and went onto the offensive in the salamaua @ - @ lae campaign in april. in late 1943, the 7th and 9th divisions played an important role in operation cartwheel, when they landed to the east and west of lae and